The deaths of thousands of crabs, lobsters and other marine life on the North East and Yorkshire coast of the United Kingdom are to be investigated by a panel of experts.
Carcasses washed up at spots across Teesside and North Yorkshire between September and December last year.
The government has previously said a naturally-occurring algal bloom was the most likely cause.
However, some fishermen fear it was linked to dredging at the mouth of the River Tees.
They believe that may have released a chemical called pyridine, which was prevalent in several industries on Teesside and which tests showed was “exceptionally toxic” to crabs.
Further shellfish have washed up in recent months.
It has been announced Prof Gideon Henderson, chief scientific advisor at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will work with the government’s chief scientific advisor, Sir Patrick Vallance, to establish the independent group which will be made up of experts from outside the government.